Through the Storm
by SonYukiGoku'sSister
Summary: Conrad's afraid of thunder, Wolfram stays by his side... Sometimes it's a little brother's job to comfort his oni-chan


Wolfram ran through the castle. He winced as thunder clashed outside. He had to get to Conrad quickly. Greta and Gwendal were in Cavalcade for Beatrice's Sleepover Birthday Party, Lady Celi was on her quest for free love and Yuri was back on Earth so it was just him and Conrad. Problem was: _where is Conrad?_

Wolfram was in the library when the storm started quickly and suddenly. It was likely going to go on for quite some time. Knowing Conrad, the man would go to the nearest hiding place just as it starts. If it looked like it was about to start he would normally position himself in his room so he could hide under his bed. It was days like these where Wolfram bring over two blankets and the stuffed animals Gwendal had made for them and just sit with Conrad until the storm passed. Thankfully, they were rare in Shin Makoku or many would have noticed by now._ Like Conrad didn't have enough problems with being half-Human_, Wolfram mentally added.

Today however, Conrad was not in his bedroom. Wolfram had checked the office, only to find the teddy gone. _He is prepared..._ Wolfram thought to himself. He then checked the library, the dungeons – no Conrart in sight. He had even tried the most dangerous place in the Castle – only to find poor Gunter being used as a guinea pig for Rainbow Detector-kun.

Outside Anissina's lab, Wolfram thought to himself. He had two blankets in one arm along with his wolf plushie. The blond felt that he was missing something. He had looked everywhere accept... the treasury!

Another clash of thunder.

Wolfram ran as quickly as he could then. He panted just as he reached his destination. The doors were closed. He opened them quietly and peered into the darkness. Conrad was nowhere in site.

Another crash of thunder was heard. He heard a small gasp. Wolfram climbed down the stairs into the darkness, cupping his free hand and creating a bit of light. He peered around the corner where he thought he heard the gasp coming from.

"Conrart?" he called. A flash of lightning accompanied by loud thunder eerily illuminated his silhouette, and made him look like a ghost.

"GAH!" came a yell. A pair of brown were staring into his green. Clearly frightened.

"Easy..." the blond soothed, bringing the light near his face, "it's just me..."

"D-don't scare me like that!" Conrad murmured sharply, retrieving his teddy. The poor man was so afraid he was shivering as much as Dorcascus would. Wolfram smiled sympathetically, "Gomenasai..." another clash of thunder sounded, causing Conrad to curl up more tightly.

Wolfram put out his light and bent down. It somewhat amused him that Conrad picked the a room where loud sounds resonate the most. But then, it was likely the nearest dark room where Conrad was and it did not have big windows unlike his office. He made no mention of it though. Now, Conrad needed someone to sit through the storm with him.

"Is there room for two?" he asked. Conrad nodded without looking up. Instead he curled up more tightly, ready to block our the next crash of thunder and nearly squashing his poor teddy. Despite of how Conrad appeared now, strangely enough, Wolfram could not help but be proud of him.

Yuri was right about one of many things. He was proud of having Conrad for a brother. Not just because of his swordsmanship either. Conrad had faced Luttenberg head on, he even went as far as pretence betrayal for Yuri and Shin Makoku and took on a whole army; he was the first to face the Soushu itself but the proudest moments Wolfram had for him was when he was facing Yuri's storms. It was during those storms that Conrad was at his bravest. Wolfram knew Gwendal was proud of their scared brother too.

When strong enough, love and loyalty can overcome any fear. Conrad was a perfect example of that.

"Here," said Wolfram, wrapping one of the blankets to his brother, "It's a little chilly." Only then Conrad looked up to find Wolfram smiling kindly at him. "Better?"

"Sumimasen..." his brother murmured, "for making you look for me..."

"Baka," said Wolfram softly as he wrapped a blanket around himself and sat down beside his brother, "you never left me alone when I had claustrophobia."

Conrad smiled only to wince violently at the sudden sound of thunder. Wolfram instinctively reached out from under his blanket and patted his back soothingly, murmuring, "I'm here, Connie... everything will be all right."

A memory entered Conrad's mind then:

_A storm came three weeks after Dan Hiri's death. Neither Gwendal nor Lady Celi were home. Conrart hid under his bed and tried to block out the sound of thunder. He heard his door open. Another crash of thunder caused him to whimper and curl up more tightly. He wished it would all go away soon. He hoped it would..._

_Something warm covered him, followed by a soft toy being pushed into his hands."Don't be afraid, Con-Lord Weller," said a familiar voice. Conrart opened his eyes to find a small head of blonde hair lying beside him facing the window so he would block his sight from lightning. "It's just a stupid storm anyway," the younger boy huffed._

_Conrart was speechless, but he held the plushie close and pulled the warm blanket tightly around himself. He was about to offer the blanket to Wolfram when he saw the blond had his own blanket and plushie."Arigatou," he murmured._

_Wolfram just grunted._

It was one of the few times Wolfram almost called him by his name – before Yuri came. "I need to ask," Conrad said then, getting Wolfram's attention, "Why do you do this even when you hated me?"

Wolfram could only smile at him. "Same reason why you helped me to overcome my claustrophobia..." he replied, edging closer, "I love you."

They sat there until the storm was over.


End file.
